Without doubt he was one of the most eloquent orators our country has ever produced, and we should be grateful to him because he used his great gift in helping to secure the freedom we now enjoy.
Some Things to Think About
- What was the Stamp Act? Why did Parliament pass it, and why did the colonists object to it?
- What did Patrick Henry mean by saying that the General Assembly of Virginia, and only the General Assembly of Virginia had the right and the power of laying taxes upon the people of that colony?
- Have you in your mind a picture of young Patrick Henry as he rode on horseback along the country road toward Williamsburg? Describe this picture as clearly as you can.
- What did William Pitt think of the Stamp Act? Why did Parliament repeal it?
- Can you explain Patrick Henry’s power as an orator? When did he make a great speech in St. John’s Church, Richmond?
- What do you admire in Patrick Henry?
- Do not fail to locate every event upon your map.
CHAPTER II
SAMUEL ADAMS
While Patrick Henry was leading the people of Virginia in their defiance of the Stamp Act, exciting events were taking place in Massachusetts under another colonial leader. This was Samuel Adams. Even before Virginia took any action, he had introduced in the Massachusetts Assembly resolutions opposing the Stamp Act, and they were passed.
Samuel Adams.
This man, who did more than any one else to arouse the love of liberty in his colony, was born in Boston in 1722. His boyhood was quite different from that of Patrick Henry. He liked to go to school and to learn from books, and he cared little for outdoor life or sport of any kind.